An electronic entity, such as a microcircuit card, for example, which generally includes electronic circuits adapted to store information, has means for communication with the outside world, in order in particular to exchange information held by the electronic entity with external devices, of the reader or terminal type.
Among the communication means commonly used, a distinction is made between contact communication means, for which physical contact between the electronic entity and the terminal is a necessary condition for setting up communication, and remote communication means, thanks to which communication between the electronic entity and a reader is possible without physical contact between these two elements, generally with a range of the order of a few centimeters.
Moreover, certain electronic entities combine communication means of the aforementioned two types, in which case the “contact” and “contactless” modes of operation can be organized in accordance with the required functions of the device for each of the communication modes, as described for example in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,495 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,713.
Although the use of contactless communication means is known for its practicality (because no accurate positioning of the electronic entity is necessary for the exchange of information), it nevertheless has the drawback of a risk of unintentional exchange of information, for example through setting up communication not wanted by the user on passing near a reader. This problem is particularly serious if the electronic entity holds confidential information, as in the case of an electronic passport, for example.
Attempts have therefore already been made in the art to apply measures to avoid this unwanted exchange of data, sometimes known as “antiskimming” measures.
In this line of thinking, it is proposed in patent application WO 99/16019 to place a switch on the upper face of a microcircuit card to make the reception of data by the card possible only after activation of the switch. However adding such a switch to the electronic entity gives rise to problems of production and reliability, (for example in the case of repetitive flexing of the electronic entity as defined by the ISO standard 7816), and increases its fabrication cost.
This is probably why it is proposed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,424,029 to use a switch of the capacitive type, better adapted to the general composition of electronic entities carrying information, in particular in the case of microcircuit cards. Although this solution reduces the problems that have just been referred to, it does not succeed in avoiding them completely.
Moreover, the solutions that have just been outlined lack flexibility and in particular rule out envisaging limiting access to the contactless communication mode, for example by means of a password.
In this context, the invention proposes an electronic entity comprising contact communication means and remote communication means, characterized by means for authorizing an exchange of certain data at least via the remote communication means as a function of the reception before an instruction via the contact communication means.
The possibility of exchanging data via the remote communication means can thus be managed by way of the contact connection, for example by means of a terminal.
The exchange of data to which the authorization relates is, for example, the sending of certain data at least and/or the reception of certain data at least.
In a first embodiment that can be envisaged, the electronic entity also comprises means for storing activation information controlled by said instruction and means for authorizing the exchange (sending and/or receiving) of said data via the remote communication means in the presence of said activation information.
Thus the reception of the instruction can be separated from the exchange (for example the sending) of data, for example on the temporal plane.
In a complementary way, the electronic entity can also comprise means for inhibiting the exchange of said data via the remote communication means in the absence of said activation information.
When the remote communication means comprise an antenna, according to a second embodiment that can be envisaged, said means for authorizing an exchange comprise means for commanding connection of the antenna to a microcircuit on the basis of said instruction. The authorization and the inhibition of the exchange (for example sending and/or receiving) are then particularly effective.
The electronic entity is, for example, a microcircuit card conforming to the ISO standard 14443 and/or the ISO standard 7816.
The invention also proposes a terminal comprising contact communication means with an electronic entity comprising remote communication means, characterized by means for sending, via the contact communication means, an instruction intended to condition an exchange of certain data at least via the remote communication means.
Such a terminal can manage the authorization of exchange by the remote communication means of the electronic entity. The exchange to which the authorization relates can be sending and/or receiving data.
Such a terminal can be portable: it can in particular be an ad hoc portable terminal for managing the authorization of exchange by the remote communication means of the electronic entity.